[snaimon]

I suspect it is a matter of DISTRIBUTION and selling to the last man or woman. Some people shop in the Rewe stores while others in Pennymarkt. Lots of talk about convenience of BUYING and obtaining refills over on telefon-treff.de. People don't want to travel 20 km to purchase a starter set or refill.

Truly, I do not know why. Maybe our German friends have some better intelligence.

Mobile services have a high market penetration in Germany and they may be trying to wring out the last few customers, holdouts. If they see advdertising in their grocery store where they shop daily or weekly (Aldi, Schlecker rather than on the internet), maybe the will catch a few grandmothers and grandfathers or whoever who are the last holdouts.

There may be a few saavy consumers who recognize value in these offers (if any) -- here I think the pennymobile offer is superior for VOICE. If you want DATA, then you have to go with rewecom. On teltarif there is talk about the poitlessness of the rewecom offer. But remember this discussion is from people who know something and follow current market condidtions.

Stan